Cyclone Vayu centred at 410 KM in South of Karachi: met office

KARACHI: Tropical Cyclone Vayu in Arabian Sea now lay centered at a distance of about 410 kilometers from south of Karachi, quoting Met Office statement, ARY News reported on Friday.

Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS) Vayu in the East Arabian Sea has moved further northwestward during last 12 hours, around Latitude 21.0° in North and Longitude 68.5° East at 8:00 AM on Pakistan Standard Time (PST) today, the weather office said.

The maximum sustained surface winds are 135-145 km per hour gusting to 160 km per hour around the system’s centre, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said.

According to the weather office cyclone alert, the cyclone is likely to move in North-westerly direction for some time and then remain practically stationary in the sea.

The cyclonic activity will continue in the sea for the next two days, the weather office said.

A protective embankment in Keti Bandar town of Thatta district facing the pressure of waves caused by the cyclonic winds.

Moreover, around 10 villages in the coastal area have submerged under the cyclonic waves, local sources said.

Under the influence of this system, dust or thunder-showers are expected in southeast Sindh,  particularly in Thatta and Badin districts today, the alert said.

The sea-breeze is likely to remain cut-off on 14-15 June (Friday and Saturday) and heatwave conditions will prevail in Lower Sindh including Karachi.

The weather office has advised fishermen of Sindh not to venture in open sea till Sunday evening, as the sea conditions are likely to be very rough and high.

The met office has also advised concerned authorities in Sindh to remain alert and take precautionary measures regarding the impact of the cyclone.